The South African Premier Business Awards is an annual event hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) in partnership with Proudly South African and Brand South Africa. The awards recognise business excellence and honours enterprises that promote the spirit of success and innovation as well as job creation, good business ethics and quality. These awards bring together all single sectored awards, among others technology, manufacturing and women in business.

Judges profiles

Mr Ledwaba has more than 20 years’ experience in the sales and marketing field. He joined the JSE in 2013 as Head of Marketing, where he has been responsible for marketing, branding and business development for primary markets and events. One of his main responsibilities has been to make the JSE more accessible to retail investors by developing new product offerings and marketing programmes.

Dr Rethabile MelamuGeneral Manager Green EconomInnovation Hub

Dr Rethabile Melamu trained as a chemical and environmental engineer at the University of Cape Town. She is currently the General Manager for the Green Economy Unit at the Innovation Hub. Before that, she acted in the position of Chief Director: Sector and Industry Development in the Gauteng Department of Economic Development. She has more than 10 years’ experience in the green economy sector, spanning renewable energy and waste management.

Ms Zingisa Motloba

Executive: Standards Division

SABS

Ms Motloba has been with the SABS since September 2017. She is a qualified corporate transaction and infrastructure lawyer and governance specialist, who holds a BA Law (UKZN), LLB (UNISA), MAP (WBS), MBA (GIBS) and SMP (Henley). She has worked in some of the most reputable law firms in South Africa and briefly served as Head of Legal and Company Secretary at Mercedes-Benz South Africa.

Ms Janine Hills

Board of Trustees

Brand South Africa

Ms Hills is the CEO and founder of Vuma Reputation Management. She also serves as a Board member of Brand South Africa, International Women’s Forum South Africa and UNICEF Women’s Giving Circle. She previously worked as a Marketing Director at Primovie, a division of Primedia. Ms Hill’s extensive business knowledge, skills and intricate understanding of reputation management are the outcome of 25 years of experience across various sectors of industry.

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Ms Leboneng Mathebula

Founder and CEO

Gridbow Engineering and Technical Services

Ms Mathebula is the 2018 SAPBA Young Entrepreneur Award Winner and founder and CEO of Gridbow Engineers and Technical Services. She is also a Board Member of Youth in Energy, a non-profit organisation that aims is to increase youth participation in energy matters across Africa.

Mr. Mothunye Mothiba Chief Executive Officer Productivity SA

Mr Mothiba is the Chief Executive Officer of Productivity SA and prides himself with a career spanning more than three decades. Hisskills and passion lie in strategy and performance management, leadership and people empowerment. He started his career as a teacher in 1981 and has held leadership positions in a number of sectors, including education, labour and the gambling industry.

Mr Takalani Tambani

Chief Director: Black Industrialists Programme

The Department of Trade and Industry

Mr Tambani is Chief Director: Black Industrialist Programme at the dti. Prior to this, he was Director: Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, and was involved in the drafting and gazetting of both the 2007 and 2013 B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice and the amended B-BBEE Act, 2013. He has several years’ experience in the areas of economic growth and development at both policy and implementation levels.

Mr. Xolani QubekaExecutive Chairperson and Managing Director Malvilox

Mr Qubeka is the Executive Chairperson and Managing Director of Malvilox and CEO of the Small Business Development Institute (SBDI). He previously served as CEO of the Black Business Council. A self-taught businessman and entrepreneur, he has more than 20 years’ general management experience and has held senior management positions in several companies

Ms Bridget NkunaChief Executive OfficerSoweto TV

Ms Nkuna is currently the CEO at Soweto TV and previously worked as a marketing director at Westcon Group Southern Africa. She is also the founder of Owami Women (www.owamiwomen.co.za), an initiative that enables communication, networking, information-sharing and empowerment among women.